Many problems are involved in the offshore oil production. Conventionally one unit is used for drilling and preparing the well for production, and a further unit will be responsible for the continued production. Certain bigger units are equipped for drilling as well as for production. Depending upon the local depth of the water, the production units may be supported directly from the bottom of the sea, or be located at a vessel, usually of the semi-submersible type.
An evident problem pertaining to all handling of oil is the environmental damages caused by escaping oil. When a well is located so far out, that it is not warranted to connect it with land by a pipeline, it will be necessary to provide some storing facility for the continous production, and means for transfer to a transport vessel.
The object of the present invention is to propose a device for the storing of oil e.g. at an offshore production unit, by using an underwater receptacle, of simple design, requiring low labour input for the handling of the oil, and which is safe from environmental point of view.